Can anyone please help me with a dumb question?LOL

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 3, 2006

Nice to meet you. We don't have that job description here in Florida that I know of. Perhaps you can ask in the specific state forum that you live.https://allnurses.com/forums/f183/

For now though I will move your post to the CNA forum here where you're more than likely to get more help.

jb2u, ASN, RN · Sep 3, 2006

:selfbonk: Hey all I am new to this site !! Anyway I have a dumb question. Does anyone know the difference between a certified nurses aid and a state tested nurses assistant(aid)? Thanks so much for your time!!!!

OK, I've never heard it put as..."state tested nurses assistant", BUT a certified nurses aide/assistant IS tested by the state. The state issues the certification. In some states, you do not need to be certified in order to work as a nursing assistant, but in most states you do or at least you have to get certified within four months from your date of hire. Again, you take a test that is giving by the state. After you pass, you become a certified nursing assistant. When you go to find a job...sometimes the position is called Patient care tech, Multi-skilled tech, Patient care assistant, Nursing Assistant, Resident aide, or any other crafty name that the facility decides to call their CNA's.

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Sep 3, 2006

If I understand correctly, it's just a difference in terminology between various states. I believe Ohio uses the term STNA and I'm sure there are others.

PBAJS · Sep 3, 2006

pds252 - welcome!

hello all,

thought i would share my findings with you ...

http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-05-01-00030.pdf

the omnibus budget reconciliation act of 1987 (obra 87) mandated the nurse aide training and competency evaluation program (natcep) to establish minimum requirements for nurse aide competency. nursing homes participating in medicare and medicaid may not employ anyone as a nurse aide for more than four months, unless the individual has completed a state-approved nurse aide training program and passed a competency exam. federal regulations require that the training: * consist of no less than 75 hours; ... include at least 16 hours of supervised practical training [hereinafter referred to as "clinical" training]. some states may require additional hours of classroom and clinical training.

http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-05-01-00031.pdf

upon completion of the training, a nurse aide trainee must pass a state exam to become certified to work in a nursing home. the state exam includes a written or oral component and a skills-demonstration component. candidates for nurse aide certification must pass both components before a state can enter their name in the state registry of nurse aides who have successfully completed their training requirements. states also use their nurse aide registry to help nursing homes and other employers ensure that potential employees meet federal and state requirements for employment, and that no adverse actions exist that would prohibit the hiring of a certain individual.

i agree with the above posters, the duties are basically the same. the name/title may be different state to state, facility to facility; nurse aides, nursing assistant, certified nursing assistant, geriatric aide, licensed nursing aide, personal care attendant, personal care tech, ...

certified nurse aide - new york, virginia

certified nursing assistant - delaware, florida, maine

licensed nursing assistant - new hampshire

nurse aide - connecticut, new jersey, tennessee

nurse aide i, nurse aide ii - north carolina

nursing assistant - maryland, rhode island

stna - ohio - used here at allnurses and employment ads. the ohio department of health uses nurse aide

:behindpc:

chadash · Sep 13, 2006

Really think they are the same thing.

About dumb questions, there is no such thing!

(well, I have asked a few actually...)

henayneiCLNC · May 12, 2010

this is for north carolina only - you must research the statue statutes and nurse practice in your own states....

in north carolina we have 4 skill categories that are able to provide aide services in the home:

companion - no hands on services

personal care aide - not certified, may or may not have had previous experience - has had very basic skills verified by an rn at the agency with which they are employed - must be done by each employer agency - able to provide iadls and assistance with a limited level of adls

nurses aide i - is certified by the state through written and skill exam - able to do many tasks - but very few invasive ones - able to provide extensive level of adls in addition to the iadls

nurses aide ii - a level above na i - has gone through additional schooling and testing - able to do all the na i can plus many additional invasive tasks, sterile dressings etc... extensive adls and more skill intensive tasks

definitions from 10a ncac 13j:

"hands-on care" means any home care service which involves touching the patient in order to implement the patient's plan of care.

"limited assistance" means care to a client who requires hands-on care involving guided maneuvering of limbs with eating, toileting, bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, self monitoring of medications or other tasks assigned that require weight bearing assistance half the time or less during the activity and does not meet the definition of extensive assistance in item (9) of this rule.

"extensive assistance" means a client is totally dependent or requires weight-bearing support more than half the time while performing part of an activity, such as guiding or maneuvering of limbs, and meets one of the following criteria:

(a) requires extensive assistance in more than two activities of daily living (adls), as defined in item (1) of this rule; or

(b) needs an in-home aide to perform at least one task at the nurse aide ii level; or

(if you want to read the whole statute/rule: http://ncrules.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2010a%20-%20health%20and%20human%20services/chapter%2013%20-%20nc%20medical%20care%20commission/subchapter%20j/subchapter%20j%20rules.html)

according to the nc bon:

nurse aide i tasks

nurse aide ii tasks

personal care aide aka non-registered aide tasks (10a ncac 13j .1003 g)

(1) assisting with mobility including ambulation, transfers and bed mobility;

(2) assisting with bath/shower;

(3) assisting with toileting;

(4) assisting with dressing;

(5) assisting with eating; and

(6) assisting with continence needs.

Ev1987 · May 13, 2010

I think the job duties are very similiar, if not the same. In order for a nurse aide to be certified, they would have to pass the state issued written and skills exam. I believe the same is said for a state tested nurse assistant. Just sounds like different titles to me.